Rat Poison and Pesticides in Toothpaste

Just go grab your toothpaste right now and check the label.

Does Your Toothpaste Have Any of These Ingredients?

• Triclosan (the pesticide)
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Hydrated Silica
• Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate
• Sodium Flouride (rat poison & insecticide)
• FD&C Blue Dye #1 and #2
• Glycerin
• Alchohol

Even Tom’s of Maine toothpaste contains 4 of these ingredients.  Are you familiar with Tom’s? Didn’t you think their toothpaste contained safe natural ingredients?  But then they don’t say their products are all natural or safe.  They say their ingredients are “naturally sourced”.

I guess you can naturally source toxic ingredients.¹

Ask yourself the following questions about toothpaste and mouthwash chemicals.

Why Would You Use a Corrosive Chemical in Your Mouth?

Triclosan was developed for use as a surgical scrub.² It is an antibacterial agent but it is also corrosive.

If Triclosan is safe for humans to use in their mouth and on their body in soaps and creams why is it only classified as a pesticide by the FDA? Once chemicals like triclosan get into your fat cells they are almost impossible to eliminate.³ Quite simply it is a corrosive chemical and shouldn’t go anywhere near your mouth.

Why Put a Poison in our Water Let Alone Use It Directly in Your Mouth?

If Sodium Flouride is safe why have over 200 medical, scientific and environmental health professionals petitioned US Congress to outlaw flouridation?

And did you know the idea that flouride is good for your teeth was invented by Alcoa so they could dispose of this aluminium mining by-product without costs?  Read a flouridation horror story.  Yes! The idea that flouride will prevent cavities is a fiction!

According to Dr Ted H Spence, DDS, ND, PhD/DSc, MH flouride causes the following:

• inactivates 62 enzymes
• increases the aging process
• increases the incident of cancer and tumour growth
• disrupts the immune system
• causes genetic damage
• interrupts DNA repair-enzyme activity
• increases arthritis
• is a systemic poison.⁴

Sodium flouride is a poisonous drug so best to avoid toothpastes, mouthwash and other foods and cosmetics that contain it.

Why Do Manufacturers Think That Blue Toothpaste is More Appealing?

These blue dyes, FD&C Blue Dye #1 and #2, are derived from inorganic and metallic materials and have been shown to cause ADHD, sleeplessness and other symptoms in children.⁵

If your toothpaste looks pretty it is undoubtedly toxic.

Why Put a Well Known Irritant in Your Mouth? Do You Really Need Sudsy Toothpaste?

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a detergent that is highly irritating and dangerous.  Just a tiny concentration as low as 0.5% can cause irritation.  That is 1/60th of the amount found in some hand soaps.   SLS is commonly used in toothpastes, soaps, shampoos, mouthwash, shaving creams and moisturizers.

It isn’t good for use on the skin let alone in the mouth!  Use it on your car engine not on your teeth.

Why Use Sand in Your Mouth?

Yes silica is sand.  Yes it whitens your teeth.  Is it natural? Yes.  Good for your teeth? No. 

The use of hydrated silica in toothpaste destroys your tooth enamel, prevents the natural re-calcification of your teeth AND alters the acidic balance of your mouth, gums and tongue.  Why is that important?  A healthy acidic/alkaline balance will prevent bacteria that causes gum disease. 

The use of silica is particularly bad if you already have any form of gum disease.  Not to mention silica is often contaminated with the carcinogenic (cancer causing) crystalline silica.

Baking soda as an oral cleanser is a safer alternative for use as a tooth abrasive and whitener…if you really need one.

Would You Prefer a Thick Emulsified Toothpaste or Safe Toothpaste?

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate is used in a variety of foods.  It is used as an emulsifier to make foods thick.  It is also used in laundry detergents.

In toothpaste it removes calcium and magnesium from your saliva preventing healthy remineralization of your teeth.  It disrupts the acidic / alkaline balance in your mouth and causes oral irritation.  Exposure to this chemical causes everything from nausea, diarrhea and eye irritation to respiratory irritation, heart disturbances, liver and kidney damage and blood disorders.

Why on earth would you put this chemical in your mouth?

What Place Does Glycerin and Alchohol have in Toothpaste and Mouthwash?

None!

Glycerin while not necessarily toxic prevents your teeth from naturally re-enamelizing.  This is emerging evidence.

The primary active ingredient in most brands of mouthwash is alcohol.  It does eliminate harmful bacteria but not for long.  Ultimately it has a drying effect creating the very conditions that harmful oral bacteria thrive in…so they grow back quickly and strongly.

There is also a link between alcohol and mouth cancer.

This Article Only Briefly Describes The Toxic Toothpaste Issues

I’ve barely touched on all of the health issues associated with the chemicals discussed on this page and commonly found in toothpastes and other cosmetics and some foods.

The stories, facts and research surrounding the detrimental effects of sodium flouride alone are enough to swear any one off toothpastes and mouthwash.

To get the full details of the health risks associated with these dangerous toxic chemicals download this free report: The Six Hidden Dangers in Toothpaste.

Everyone has bad breath at some time or another. But how do you tell a friend or a colleague that he or she has chronic bad breath? And are you sure you don’t have bad breath? This funny bad breath video actually tells you exactly how to check your own breath.

It’s Hard to Tell a Friend He Has Bad Breath

I think it is easier to tell a family member than a friend: your sister, your Mother, your brother. They won’t really feel hurt if you do it carefully and with sensitivity. They’ll be grateful.

And you should definitely be able to safely tell your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife or husband. Quietly whisper in their ear: Honey! Daaaahhhrrling! Sweetheart! You need to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth or floss or something!

Try this: Honey! I bought you a present!

I’m Not Talking Just About Onion Breath

I’m not talking about short-term onion or garlic breath (but if you have a bottle of this in your pocket you can get rid of onion breath in an instant! I’m talking about chronic bad breath. You know the kind you can smell almost clear across the room! Like bad BO you just want to escape the stench.

Why Not Give A Christmas or Birthday Gift as a Subtle Hint?

With Christmas coming up it’s a perfect time to drop a subtle hint or to blatantly exclaim: Listen you need this!

Every November I buy 24 bottles of OraMD and thus I’ve got a ready supply of a unique and truly appreciated Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers for a mere $12.00 each. Perfect for the office or extended family Christmas gift draw. And if I don’t use all of them for Christmas they come in handy for thank you or birthday gifts through the year.

It’s a Great Gift!
Treats Bad Breath, Bug Bites, Canker Sores and Doggy Breath!

It might surprise you to know that in addition to clearing up gum disease and bad breath OraMD can be used to treat canker sores and bug bites. It is also safe and effective for treating your dog’s bad breath. And there are 22 different types of harmful oral bacteria that OraMD will destroy. Why is that important? Bacteria causes bad breath.

When I give OraMD as a gift I always include a little gift card that lists the potential uses and the benefits. (Download my free gift tags pdf!) ¹

Every one loves it! It’s different. It’s healthy. It has so many uses and it’s inexpensive!

So if you're stuck for Christmas gift ideas or you just want to give something that is unique and good for people give the gift of potent pure essential oils!

Ethel Aardvark

Stevia, a sometimes controversial herb, is more than just a natural no-calorie sugar substitute. In addition to it’s antibacterial and antiviral properties making it a possible gingivitis treatment, Stevia reportedly produces the following health benefits:

• lowers blood pressure,
• stabilizes blood sugar levels,
• increases insulin resistance,
• aids weight loss,
• inhibits candida growth,
• soothes heartburn and indigestion,
• improves calcium absorption,
• reduces tooth decay,

Research even shows that Stevia may have anti-cancer properties.

These are the claims made by Stevia advocates and indeed most are supported by research and seemingly all of the negative reports about any danger of using Stevia have been refuted by research or discredited in some way.

Is Stevia Safe to Use?

On the one hand, it would seem pretty clear that Stevia is safe to use. After all it has a long history of use in South America (over 500 years). In Japan it has been widely used for over thirty years without complaints about side-effects.

On the other hand, it has been variously banned and unbanned in the United States by the FDA depending on the whims of Big Business. According to the FDA website certain refined Stevia preparations may be lawfully marketed and added to food products.

Stevia is banned in just a few jurisdictions (Hong Kong, Singapore, Europe) primarily because of a lack of research data indicating its safety rather than positive proof of any danger.

In addition to this lack of research data, it has been banned as a food additive by the European Food Safety Authority because of research that claims it interferes with fertility. But that research has been largely discredited¹ and even refuted².

How to Use Stevia as a Gingivitis Treatment

The antibacterial properties of Stevia make it a candidate for preventing both gum disease and tooth decay. The primary cause of gingivitis is plaque and plaque is a build up of bacteria along the gum line. When Stevia is used as a mouthwash it reportedly reduces gingivitis and other mouth infections because it fights the bacteria.

And since sugar is the primary cause of tooth decay because it provides an environment that teeth-destroying germs love using Stevia as a sugar substitute is a natural defense.

Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar and unlike some of the chemical substitutes³ on the market Stevia is a healthy alternative. Some people complain about the after taste but in my experience the chemical alternatives are really terrible. As with any new taste…the more you use it the more familiar it becomes.

So try some Stevia gum after a meal to stave off plaque until you can brush. Or use Stevia drops in a glass of warm water as a mouthwash.

If you find a healthy and natural toothpaste that contains Stevia I’d love to hear about it.

Stevia is in the Asteraceae or Compositae Family of plants. If you are allergic to things like daisies and ragweed or marigolds and chrysanthemums (to name just a few in these families) you should use Stevia cautiously until you determine whether you are allergic to it.

The term Periodontal Disease includes gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gingivitis is a disease of the gums. It affects the tissue (the gums) around your teeth. Periodontitis is a disease of the teeth. It affects the ligaments and the bone that hold your teeth.

The main cause of both gingivitis and periodontitis is poor oral hygiene. The one…gingivitis…leads to the other. There are other causes but poor oral hygiene is the most common.

It is one thing to have gingivitis. It’s the beginning of the beginning of the end of your teeth if you don’t treat it!

The thing about gingivitis is that it can be effectively and easily treated. If the cause is poor oral hygiene then once you get rid of the offending plaque or tartar deposits¹ and if you practice good oral hygiene you’ll be safe.

Periodontitis Is A More Serious Problem

If you suffer with chronic gingivitis…whatever the cause…and it is left untreated, the infections in the gum will eventually find its way below the gum line and into the bones that hold your teeth.

The Progression of Periodontitis

Periodontitis starts with untreated gingivitis. So your gums are chronically swollen or inflamed. Over time the space between your gums and your teeth will widen to form deep pockets and the infection causing gingivitis will begin to attack the ligaments that hold your teeth and then the bone.

Radiograph Showing Bone Loss

The deep pockets caused by periodontitis can be hard to clean even with flossing. Food gets trapped in these deep pockets along with bacteria and you may experience recurring and painful infections in these locations.

Once you have periodontitis the task of oral hygiene is ever more difficult but very important if you want to keep your teeth. In addition to religiously brushing and flossing, there are two key components to successfully preventing ongoing infections in the deep gaps along your teeth: irrigation and the use of a gingivitis toothpaste that will get into those deep pockets and kill bacteria.

Whatever you do practice good oral hygiene and treat any sign of gingivitis urgently so that you don’t get periodontitis!

Periodontitis

Amalgam fillings are commonly called silver fillings because they look silver.

But it’s a trick. The reality is amalgam fillings are a metal alloy of mercury, silver, tin, copper and sometimes zinc. The mercury content varies but is approximately 50%.

And What’s Wrong with That?

Mercury is a heavy metal and it’s toxic. Plain and simple. Mercury is listed by the EPA as an element that causes cancer.

The mercury used in amalgam fillings releases vapors that are toxic to the brain and kidney. Mercury poisoning can affect vision, hearing and speech. There are dire warnings about the level of mercury in our waters ways and the danger of consuming fish that are contaminated with mercury.

So why would you want copious amounts of mercury lurking around in your teeth? A 1997 EPA Report to Congress (p17) states that “some quantity of mercury is released from dental amalgam.” ¹

I Discovered Something When I Had
My Amalgam Fillings Replaced

I had a mouth full of amalgam fillings (poor dental hygiene as a child).

I slowly had them replaced with ceramic fillings.

And Whoa! What a relief!

I didn’t realize how much pain those amalgam fillings caused until they were gone. Have you ever accidentally touched one of your amalgam fillings with the tine of fork? Sends you through the roof doesn’t it? Not to mention hot and cold sensitivity. That also disappeared with the amalgam fillings.

And finally…I didn’t realize how painful the simple act of chewing food was until the pain was gone. I know it sounds a little crazy but it is a fact: we get used to pain and to feeling tired and bad. We don’t notice how bad it feels or how much we can tolerate until the pain is gone.

If you have amalgam fillings get rid of them. They’re bad for you!

According to my periodontist and my own personal experience with gum disease anemia can indeed cause gingivitis.

I had chronic anemia for several years. During that time I had unexplained and repeated bouts of gingivitis. My oral hygiene was excellent and still I had gingivitis. When my dentist accidentally found out that I was suffering anemia he got excited and proclaimed: That explains your gingivitis!

You’ll find plenty of medical references that list gingivitis as a possible symptom of anemia.

I cannot tell you the precise physiological reason that anemia causes gingivitis but surely it is the lack of healthy red blood cells. When you are anemic you are either deficient in red blood cells or the cells you do have are impaired and cannot effectively do their job which is to deliver vital oxygen to your organs, muscles and other tissues.

Either way, your healthy pink gums are affected.

Other Symptoms of Anemia

Besides gingivitis, other symptoms of anemia vary according to the severity. You may not even notice a mild case of anemia but it will show up in a blood test. Or you may feel a certain fatigue. You might look a little pale and constantly feel cold. More serious cases of anemia may cause a foggy brain, sweatiness, shortness of breath, dizziness, insomnia, severe weakness, heart palpitations and even chest pain especially during physical exertion.

You can check yourself for anemia by pressing down on a fingernail. If it takes a long time for the nail to turn pink again, you could be anemic.¹

There are many types of anemia but perhaps the two most common are low iron or a deficiency in vitmain B12 (pernicious anemia).

Iron Deficiency Causes Anemia

Your body needs iron to make red blood cells. Two common causes of low iron are poor diet or loss of blood. Women commonly experience anemia due to the loss of blood during menustration. They also experience anemia during pregnancy due to an increase in the volume of blood fluid but without a matching increase in oxygen carrying cells.

Check also the blood vessels under your eye (pull on your lower eyelid). Pale blood vessels could be a sign of anemia.

Men do not suffer anemia as often as women but if they do a common cause is bleeding.

Parasite infections such as the insidious hookworm may also be an unexplained cause of blood loss resulting in anemia due to low iron.

Lack of Vitamin B12 Causes Anemia

Vegetarians have a higher incident of anemia than meat eaters due to both a lack of iron and vitamin B12 in their diet. B12 is a nutrient essential for healthy cell division, a process that replenishes your blood. There are very few adequate vegetarian sources of vitmin B12 (try Brewer’s Yeast). The fish tapeworm, another parasite, can cause pernicious anemia because it competes with its human host for B12. It steals nutrients including B12 from your intestine where it silently lives.

Folic acid, like vitamin B12 is essential to the development of healthy blood cells and a deficiency can lead to anemia.

How to Get Enough Iron, B12 and Folic Acid In Your Diet

There are two types of dietary iron: heme and nonheme.² Both types of iron are found in meats such as beef, chicken, turkey and some seafoods and fish. Heme iron is the most absorbable form of iron. Nonheme iron is found in plant foods and it is less absorbable. Eating both heme and nonheme sources of iron together increases your overall absorbability of iron. Vitamin C is a nutrient that is essential to the absorption of iron so a deficiency of vitamin C could potentially lead to an iron deficiency. And eating foods high in vitamin C along with iron rich foods helps you to absorb the iron.

Foods that are rich in iron include: calve’s liver, chicken liver, clams, Brewer’s Yeast, green leafy vegetables, dried apricots, blackstrap molasses, Guiness beer, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.

Folic acid is found in both green leafy vegetables, nuts, meat and dried yeast.

If you are vegetarian you must pay close attention to your diet to ensure you get an adequate supply of B12, vitamin C and iron rich foods.

Do Not Ignore Gingivitis Or the Symptoms of Anemia

Whatever the cause you cannot afford to ignore symptoms of gingivitis. And while you may find various natural treatments for gingivitis on this website, there is never any suggestion that can or should ignore gingivitis. You may be able to determine that your gingivitis is caused by poor oral hygiene and it is relatively easy to treat. If you have gingivitis you should see a dentist if at all possible.

End Gum Disease Now
OraMD is an all-natural solution for gum disease

If you have recurring bouts of gingivitis and you are certain that poor oral hygiene is not the cause you should consult both a dentist and a doctor. Make sure they both know about your recurring bouts of gingivitis. If you have anemia, make sure your dentist knows that, too. Then find out why you are anemic.

Both gingivitis and anemia may be symptoms of more serious health conditions. It is vital to seek the advice of health care practitioners.

If the threat of tooth loss isn’t enough to spur you into taking action about the condition of your bleeding gums consider the following.

Bleeding gums, a sign of gingivitis, creates the opportunity for bacteria to enter your blood stream and cause other problems including heart inflammation (infective endocarditis) and heart attacks.

Our mouths are full of all sorts of bacteria for all sorts of reasons. Under normal circumstances, in a healthy person, your stomach acids destroy any bacteria that you might swallow…so it never gets into your bloodstream.

What Happens When Bacteria in Your Mouth Gets Into Your Bloodstream?

If you have gingivitis and especially if you have bleeding gums the bacteria can now escape into your bloodstream. Ongoing research¹ indicates that there is an association between the inflammation that causes gingivits or periodontitis and other diseases that are also caused by inflammation: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis…even premature births.

The real culprit is bacteria. Bacteria clings to your teeth in the form of plaque…sometimes called a biofilm…and if left to its own devices it will inflame your gums. And if the bacteria escapes into your bloodstream through bleeding gums it can cause damage to other organs. This is why oral hygiene is so important…quite apart from tooth loss…and it is a constant and daily need. Within just eight short hours plaque can turn into tartar, tartar irritates your gums, gingivitis develops and it is not long before your gums are inflamed and bleeding.

You simply cannot afford to be lazy about your oral hygiene.

I Don’t Use Traditional Toothpaste Anymore

Tonight I will get on a plane and travel to the other side of the world. With two stops it will take 27 hours to reach my destination and during that time … when it isn’t always easy or convenient to brush or floss because airport and airplane toilets are not a place I care to dig out my toothbrush… I will use Oral B Dental Picks and then I wll rinse my mouth with a couple of drops of OraMd straight on to the tongue…swish swish..to kill the bacteria and keep my breath fresh. And it doesn’t matter if I happen to swallow it because it is not toxic and the all natural ingredients ² are known to be soothing to the stomach (believe it or not)!

And when I do brush (twice a day at least), I don’t use old fashioned toothpaste any more. I only ever use OraMd, The Mouth Doctor.

I know that many people come to this website looking for answers to these questions:

• Will a salt rinse cure gingivitis?
• What about brushing my teeth with baking soda?
• Can I rinse my mouth with Hydrogen Peroxide?
• And what about vinegar?

I answer these questions in this article.

There are many many many reports on the internet suggesting that you can use one or a combination of these elements to treat gingivitis and other mouth ailments.

Some reports suggest that you can use salt daily as a toothpaste. The same suggestions are made about baking soda. Others suggest a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mix.

On the other hand some experts say that using salt or baking soda daily to brush your teeth is a bad idea because you risk accidentally swallowing too much salt. Too much salt can harden the arteries and cause heart disease. Okay but can it be as bad or more risky than swallowing your toxic toothpaste who’s label reads: Do Not Swallow?

Why and How is Salt or Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Good for the Mouth?

The modern use of these elements for oral hygiene is known as the Keyes Technique and it was developed in the late 70′s and early 80′s by Dr Paul H Keyes.

According to Dr Keyes all of the mechanical methods of oral hygiene (brushing, picking, flossing, rinsing, irrigation) go some way to eliminating the causes of plaque (and plaque causes gingivitis). But these methods alone are inadequate. In addition to a mechanical cleaning action, an antibacterial agent is required.

Your mouth is contaminated with bacteria. You can’t avoid this so you have to deal with it. If you don’t adequately decontaminate gingivitis will occur.

All of these Natural Ingredients Are Antibacterial

According to Dr Keyes all of the following ingredients will kill on contact what he calls motile microorganisms.¹

• salt (sodium chloride)
• baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• glycerin
• vinegar
• cranberry juice (unsweetened)

In addition to killing bacteria, baking soda neutralizes the acids that enable plaque to develop.

Salt is not as strong a bacterial agent as baking soda and it requires a high concentration. But salt reduces inflammation and stimulates the gum.

Another ingredient that Dr Keyes favors is hydrogen peroxide because its foaming action helps to remove the bacteria from teeth and gingivital crevices.

Vinegar? Cranberry Juice? Neutrogena Soap!!? Clorox!!!??

In addition to killing bacteria vinegar and cranberry juice will help dissolve tartar (harden plaque). But cranberry juice is very acidic and should not be used every day and he recommends rinsing after using it.

Two other ingredients that Dr Keyes recommends is Neutrogena soap and a weak solution of Clorox. But there is no way I would put these two toxic elements in my mouth. Toothpaste with six toxic ingredients is bad enough.

So when you find homemade toothpaste recipes that include salt, baking soda, glycerin,² and hydrogen peroxide you’ll know that these ideas and recommendations originated from an expert and highly trained dental professional and his conclusions are backed by his research. On the other hand some experts dispute the efficacy of the Keyes Technique.

OraMD tastes better than hydrogen peroxide and it works!

And Now for My Sister’s Experience

When my sister recently told me that she had to have a major tooth pulled and that now she had an infection and lots of pain and the dentist wouldn’t give her an antibiotic, I suggested a recipe from page 325 of the book Alternative Cures: More than 1,000 of the Most Effective Natural Home Remedies where you will find instructions for making a concentrated solution to be used in an oral irrigator to treat gingivitis. ³

My sister doesn’t have an irrigator but she made the concentrated solution as described in that book and and she also later added to the solution a few drops of the OraMD that I sent to her.

Three things happened. The pain and infection went away without the need for antibiotics.

But more than that, her gums stopped hurting. She didn’t tell me about the problem she had with her gums. But apparently she had gingivitis. She tells me her gums feel great and they look pink and healthy.

And the third thing that happened is that her teeth became very white…probably from the hydrogen peroxide.

She rinsed her mouth every day, twice a day with the concentrated solution until the major infection was gone. Now she uses the mixture occasionally to keep her teeth bright. But she uses OraMD all the time.

So if you have any doubts about whether or not you can cure gingivitis, I hope my Sister’s story encourages you to take action. It is possible to save your teeth.

Take action. Try OraMd it is simpler than the Keyes method. You can carry it in your pocket or purse. It is no more expensive than toxic toothpaste and it just works. It’s a gingivitis killer.

The question is frequently asked: If I start brushing and flossing everyday will my gingivitis go away?

This is a difficult question to answer because it depends on how long you’ve neglected your gums and how severe your gingivitis is. And also: the common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene; not the only cause but the most common cause.

Clearly if you’ve been neglecting to floss and brush daily that is probably the cause of your gingivitis.

The Most Common
Cause of Gingivitis

Caused by bacteria…plaque builds up and sticks around the gum line. If you floss and then brush with a potent antibacterial non-toxic agent the plaque gets removed. But if the plaque is neglected and allowed to build up around the gums it will…in a very short space of time…become calcified.

Calcified plaque is called tartar or calculus and it is very hard to get rid of it without visiting the dentist or a dental hygienist. (Tips for dissolving tartar.)

So back to the question: if I start flossing and brushing will my gingivitis go away?

It might improve and you might prevent it from getting dramatically worse. But really if you have gingivitis you should get professional treatment. Once you get a good deep clean you should see some improvement in the health of your gums. Regular oral hygiene will prevent a repeat occurence provided the gingivitis isn’t being caused by some other health condition.

See our page on gingivitis causes for more information.

A natural and powerful medicine, honey has been used since ancient times for both its nutritional value and its topical healing power.

Wound Healing Properties of Honey Aid in the Treatment of Gum Disease

It is the wound-healing properties of honey that are useful in the treatment of gum diseases such as gingivitis, bleeding and receding gums. When mixed with water, an enzyme in honey (glucose oxidase) produces hydrogen perioxide. Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic and there are other antioxidant elements of honey that act as antimicrobial agents.

Studies show that honey stops the growth of plaque-forming bacteria and prevents the bacteria from developing polysaccharide or the glue that enables it to stick to your teeth and gums.

Not Every and Not Just Any Honey Works

While ancient history and modern science demonstrate the effectiveness of honey in the treatment of a wide variety of infections including gingivitis, you can’t use just any honey. Honey that is highly processed…pasteurized and filtered…loses its medicinal value. Pure raw honey is the key but it may be contaminated so it must be treated with gamma radiation to sterilise the honey without destroying the medicinal properites.

Finally, not all honey has a high level of antibacterial activity. So check the label.

Active Manuka Honey from New Zealand is one of the most researched and best known honeys for medicinal use. It has been used in studies around the world from the treatment of ulcers to diabetic sores to gingivitis.

To treat gingivitis with active honey, mix honey with water and use as a mouthwash several times a day. Some people reportedly rub active honey directly on the affected gums.

Other Medicinal Benefits of Honey

Numerous studies show that the daily consumption of raw honey ¹ improves the antioxidant levels of blood and thus may help prevent arteriosclerosis (a cause of heart disease). The darker the honey the higher the antioxidant level.

Studies also show that honey may be a healthy energy food for athletes because it helps keep blood sugar at an optimum level for a longer period of time in comparison to other carbohydrates.

Various reports indicate honey is effective against infections caused by:

• Staphylococcus aureus²
• Escherichia coli(ecoli)
• candida albicans (fungus)
• Helicobacter pylori (the cause of stomach ulcers)

Be cautious. Use only pure, raw, uncontaminated, sterilized honey such as Active Manuka Honey for topical treatments.

Healing Honey References

• The Top 100 Healing Foods: 100 Foods to Relieve Common Ailments and Enhance Health and Vitality
• The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
• Manuka Honey as a Medicine P.C. Molan, Honey Research Unit, Univ of Waikato, Hamilton New Zealand.
• The Effects of Manuka Honey on Plaque and Gingivitis: A Pilot Study

For a simple effective treatment: OraMD kills the bacteria that causes plaque and gum infections